Confirmed with Link: Canucks interested in hiring Michael Futa ( Management)

[dedutchhockey]

This seems really odd as Futa would be one of the main candidates to replace Benning as Gm if he was canned. Friedman is reporting tho that Benning is the one that has made contact with Futa. Would it be for Chief Amateur Scouting to replace Judd ? Maybe Benning is moving up to Trevors old job as as President and Futa would be GM ?

Futa has a very impressive resume. He was given a lot of credit for helping build the Kings 2x cup teams.

He was head of scouting when they drafted the likes of Doughty Brayden Schenn , Voynov Tofolli .Pearson Alec Martinez, Simmonds ,Erik Cernak etc.

Other roles he has had with LA

Assisstsnt GM
VP hockey Ops
Director of Player Personel
Director of Amateur Scouting
GM in OHL
Named OHL exec of the year in 2005



Source : Friedman 31 Thoughts

31 Thoughts: How the Dubois-Laine trade finally came together


10. There’ve been reports the Canucks have talked to former Los Angeles assistant GM Michael Futa. He works with Sportsnet now, so it’s not something I’m really comfortable talking about, but I don’t believe these conversations are new. There was contact several months ago with GM Jim Benning, but nothing available.

Click to read more...

 

[Dab]

Not sure what to make of this. Would be all too amazing if this meant Weisbrod was being shown the door.

 

[Josepho]

god please no not another "drafting" gm

 

[AwesomeInTheory]

god please no not another "drafting" gm

Eh, Futa has a more developed resume than Benning has, having worked at numerous levels as a coach and executive. Which, honestly, will probably play against him getting a shot at the NHL big chair. (He's not a former player.)

Plus, Futa's record is a lot more sturdier than Benning's when it comes to drafting. There's no "Gorton period" with Futa.

Interestingly, he's doing a Q&A for a podcast this Friday. Those who are interested in him and his track record might want to submit a question:

 

[mossey3535]

Almost anything (except Tallon or Chia) is better than what we have now.

 

[biturbo19]

Seems like a kinda odd option, if it's really a case of Benning reaching out to him. ie. Futa as a supplement or complement to Benning continuing on as GM (or any other role really) doesn't make a lot of sense to me. They're kinda...two of a kind, in that they're both very "amateur scouting background" types with a lot of overlap in their purported strengths.

The thing that's really needed more than anything else, if Benning is going to be sticking around...is someone who is far more savvy when it comes to massaging the salary cap and piecing together effective veteran depth on a budget, making trades to facilitate that stuff, etc. More of a "Gillis type", to complement what Benning has managed to do in finding some of those key franchise building block pieces in the draft.

I mean, i wouldn't mind Futa as another "voice at the draft table". He seems to have a reasonable enough track record there to potentially be a positive influence. With Brackett out the door, there's presumably some room at the table too. It just feels like it'd be doubling up a bit on one particular facet of team-building, rather than diversifying the "areas of expertise" more.

 

[deckercky]

The thing that's really needed more than anything else, if Benning is going to be sticking around...is someone who is far more savvy when it comes to massaging the salary cap and piecing together effective veteran depth on a budget, making trades to facilitate that stuff, etc. More of a "Gillis type", to complement what Benning has managed to do in finding some of those key franchise building block pieces in the draft./

Isn't the contract negotiation/salary cap stuff what Chris Gear does?

 

[HedonisticAltruism]

Seems like a kinda odd option, if it's really a case of Benning reaching out to him. ie. Futa as a supplement or complement to Benning continuing on as GM (or any other role really) doesn't make a lot of sense to me. They're kinda...two of a kind, in that they're both very "amateur scouting background" types with a lot of overlap in their purported strengths.

The thing that's really needed more than anything else, if Benning is going to be sticking around...is someone who is far more savvy when it comes to massaging the salary cap and piecing together effective veteran depth on a budget, making trades to facilitate that stuff, etc. More of a "Gillis type", to complement what Benning has managed to do in finding some of those key franchise building block pieces in the draft.

I mean, i wouldn't mind Futa as another "voice at the draft table". He seems to have a reasonable enough track record there to potentially be a positive influence. With Brackett out the door, there's presumably some room at the table too. It just feels like it'd be doubling up a bit on one particular facet of team-building, rather than diversifying the "areas of expertise" more.

I'd totally be picking up what you're putting down but it does rely on a very debatable statement, that Benning actually is good at scouting. I don't think he's been *terrible* but you can certainly make a good argument that it's been average, given our draft position, and looking at what we still have in our prospect pool.

There is no question Benning is terrible at cap and asset management, though.

 

[biturbo19]

Isn't the contract negotiation/salary cap stuff what Chris Gear does?

In the sense that he's performing the technical execution of those sort of things, yeah...i believe so.

What i'm talking about though, is somebody more involved in the process from the ground up, taking a more active role in allocating salary cap space and planning for that, while digging around for bargain finds to fill out the depth chart, etc. Someone to be a more effective bridge between the technical financial side of the player personnel, and the actual scouting and roster building side of the player personnel end.

It's not that the contracts and salary cap seem to be riddled with technical execution errors per se...it's that there doesn't appear to be as much restraint and "bigger picture" integration with a lot of it. Someone to lay out where they can and cannot afford to spend money in the roster, and to go out and find ways to patch those areas they can't afford to splurge, with serviceable but cheap depth. ie. The sort of thing that Gillis could really hang his hat on during his tenure with the Canucks.

 

[Laterade]

He can take John Weisbrod's job... What does he even do?!

 

[elitepete]

He can take John Weisbrod's job... What does he even do?!

He drafted Dwight Howard.

 

[M2Beezy]

Why not Chiarelli? He brought a cup to Boston and knows guys who can muck it up and rip the puck

 

[Fatass]

If we hire this “Futon” guy, it’s as an assist to our new GM - Wisebrod. Benning would focus completely on his Presidential duties.
Aquilini
Benning
Wisebrod
Futa
“Are you not entertained”?

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Always good to have some more smart people in the room. Futa was well respected during his tenure with the Kings. And given our largely rough draft history for the majority of our franchise’s existence, I’d never say know to more people with scouting skills joining the organization.

Does seem odd for Benning to be out reaching, though. He’s got Gear and Weisbrod handling a fair amount, I wonder what his idea for Futa would be.

 

[4Twenty]

Pretty obvious Futa didn’t see a role. He’s not coming to work for Benning. That’s my interpretation of the “nothing available” statement.

Agree with bit turbo, they need a “manager” not an entry draft ID guy as a GM.

 

[krutovsdonut]

for friedman to drop a story about a colleague's job opportunity is interesting.

it would not surprise me much if benning intentionally hired his own replacement.

 

[rypper]

Hearing Drance's take on Futa gave me pause:

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Hearing Drance's take on Futa gave me pause:

Incredible as it may seem to some now (and maybe perfectly credibly to others) - Benning was considered the top candidate to manage his own team in 2014. And the top coaching candidate that a lot of teams were seeking out? Willie Desjardins.

I remember the brief window where we landed both and it felt like the stars had aligned for Canuck land. Willie sure revealed himself to be a paper tiger in short order. The book on Benning is still being written, but it certainly has some interesting chapters so far.

 

[Snatcher Demko]

Being a good drafting GM doesn't mean he can't evaluate pros or know what is the difference between reasonable contracts and terrible ones.

Or perhaps the human brain simply cannot process both?

 

[4Twenty]

How is Futa less accomplished than Benning in 2014? He has two cups to Benning’s one. LA’s drafting was way better than Boston’s over Benning’s tenure.

Benning riding his dads coattails to this stupid reputation shows how closed off nhl management circles are.

Conpare Boston’s drafts from 2007-2013 to this:Mike Futa’s Drafting And Resume


Drance is getting weird.

 

[MS]

How is Futa less accomplished than Benning in 2014? He has two cups to Benning’s one. LA’s drafting was way better than Boston’s over Benning’s tenure.

Benning riding his dads coattails to this stupid reputation shows how closed off nhl management circles are.

Conpare Boston’s drafts from 2007-2013 to this:Mike Futa’s Drafting And Resume


Drance is getting weird.

Yeah, what a bizarre take. More Cups, more experience, better track record than 2014 Benning. Futa also has a reasonably high-level coaching background that Benning lacks.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

10. There’ve been reports the Canucks have talked to former Los Angeles assistant GM Michael Futa. He works with Sportsnet now, so it’s not something I’m really comfortable talking about, but I don’t believe these conversations are new. There was contact several months ago with GM Jim Benning, but nothing available.

wouldn't he have to be GM or higher? anything lower and why does LA let him go?

re: the bolded, a familiar occurrence with both benning and aqualini. some combo of lack of communication, inconsistency, and bickering between them and their employees about rank and responsibility.

 

[4Twenty]

Yeah, what a bizarre take. More Cups, more experience, better track record than 2014 Benning. Futa also has a reasonably high-level coaching background that Benning lacks.

Look at LA’s prospect cupboard. Look at their two cups. That drafting record is incredible.

I’d still prefer a guy with a more diverse skill set but Futa seems closer to a Jim Nill than a Benning.

Boston’s draft record under Benning’s vs Futa in LA is so one sided it’s ridiculous.

 

[krutovsdonut]

if this is the end for benning, and i think it is, the hiring replacement will tell you exactly how aquaman is regarded inside hockey. he will go after the very best candidates with money and term no object. his preference will be for an established name or the consensus best candidate. he will want the name to make a splash. he has a decent team base to appeal to candidates.

let's see what he actually gets.

 

[I am toxic]

Hearing Drance's take on Futa gave me pause:

Yeah, Drance is out to lunch on that one.

I see you brought this up last summer:

If you're looking for an experienced candidate (ie not an AGM looking for a promotion.) Dean Lombardi and Ron Hextall are both available.

Less likely Mike Gillis is still out there, but I think he's wanting a presidents role.

Not as attractive are guys like Ray Shero,Tim Murray, Dave Nonis, Peter Chiarelli (lol).

There's a bunch of AGM's without experience as GM but whose names often come up when a spot opens up. Gilman, Futa, Mark Hunter, Bill Zito, etc.

And of course, my response.